While Janice is proud of what her team has accomplished so far, there’s more work to be done. In the fall of 2024, the county’s Crownsville Advisory Committee accepted comments from the public on its Draft Master Plan for transforming Crownsville Memorial Park. The Friends of Crownsville Cemetery took it as an opportunity to further advocate for the site to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, arguing that it has been eligible since the ‘80s. So what’s the big deal? The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. The National Park Service helps qualified historic properties receive preservation benefits and incentives. Without National Register status, a historically significant site lacks protections, access to preservation funding, and public recognition, making it more vulnerable to neglect, alterations, or demolition. It can also lead to the loss of cultural heritage and missed opportunities for education, tourism, and community engagement. 2 The transformation of Crownsville Memorial Park, which, according to the draft plan, includes the demolition of several structures on the property, may make the site ineligible. And without National Register status, the history of Crownsville could be erased and forgotten, especially as politicians change and generations fade. “We are trying to put in place enough of a plan, enough funding, enough enthusiasm and community support that nobody would dare step in and reverse course,” said Executive Pittman, while noting the end of his tenure in 2026. Fortunately, Crownsville Patient Cemetery is separate from the park and is protected from being sold thanks to 2004 House Bill 1351. Responsibility for the cemetery’s care was assigned to Anne Arundel County through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State of Maryland, with oversight provided by the Friends of the Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery organization. 3 As they continue to advocate for the preservation of Crownsville Hospital history, the Friends of the Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery are making history themselves. Digital Maryland, a statewide digital preservation program of the Enoch Pratt Free Library/Maryland State Library Resource Center, has the collection Friends of the Crownsville Hospital Cemetery and Our Local Legacy in honor of their work. The collection features photos from various Say My Name Ceremonies, as well as patient records.
The content is available for public viewing at collections. digitalmaryland.org.
After all of the names were said during the 2024 ceremony, we were instructed to sprinkle our flower petals across the ground in honor of the deceased. As the next Say My Name ceremony approaches this spring, it’s warming to know that something more permanent will remain after the petals blow away. Connect with Friends of the Crownsville Patient Cemetery on Facebook to find out about the Say My Name memorial unveiling and ceremony dates. Resources: 1 Chesapeake Crossroads, “17th Annual “Say My Name” Ceremony to Take Place This Saturday,” 11/17/24, https://chesapeakecrossroads.org/things-to-do/17th-annual-say-my-name-ceremony- to-take-place-this-saturday/ 2 National Park Service, “National Register of Historic Places,” 11/17/24 https://www.nps.gov/ subjects/nationalregister/index.htm 3 Digital Maryland, "Frederick County Historical Collection," 11/17/24 https://collections. digitalmaryland.org/digital/collection/fchc
Scotti 2024 SMN Ceremony: Photo by Stacey Coles
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